Flashlight device

ABSTRACT

A flashlight device particularly advantageous in using for emergency purposes. The device comprises a combination of a flashlight body including a normally closed electric circuit for lighting a bulb therein, and a flashlight hanger member to be installed at a fixed position and including a means for blocking said electric closed circuit only when the flashlight body is hung or mounted to the hanger member.

United States Patent Sakaki Aoki Tokyo, Japan 787,864

Dec. 30, 1968 Oct. 12, 1971 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Osaka, Japan Nov. 12, 1968 Japan 43/100179 inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority FLASHLIGHT DEVICE 12 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 240/ 10.6 R, 240/10.68, 240/52.5, 240/2 S Int. Cl F211 7/00 Field of Search 240/ 10.6, 10.66, 10.68, 52, 52.1, 52.5, 73,2 S; ZOO/61.58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,725,430 8/1929 Villar 240/52.5 X 1,665,803 4/1928 Veenschoten 240/52.5 X 1,821,305 9/1931 Hauenstein 240/52.5 X 2,656,454 10/1953 Yacyshyn 240/52 2,774,860 12/1956 Prebol et a1... 240/52.5 X 2,937,266 5/1960 Munro 240/52.5 X

Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Assistant Examiner-Alan Mathews Attorney-Pierce, Scheffler & Parker ABSTRACT: A flashlight device particularly advantageous in using for emergency purposes. The device comprises a combination of a flashlight body including a normally closed electric circuit for lighting a bulb therein, and a flashlight hanger member to be installed at a fixed position and including a means for blocking said electric closed circuit only when the flashlight body is hung or mounted to the hanger member.

PATENTEUUET 12 I9?! SHEET 10F 4 PATENTEDUU 1219?: 3, 12, 53

SHEET 2 BF 4 PATENTEDUBT 12 12m SHEET H11 4 FLASHLIGII'I DEVICE This invention relates generally to improvements in flashlights and more particularly to a flashlight device which comprises a flashlight for emergency use and a hanger equipment for detachably mounting the flashlight thereto.

Generally, the flashlights are provided with switches for turning on and off the same and, thus, it is desirable that, at the time of being not used, the light is turned off and placed at a predetermined place.

However, it often happens even in the case of the flashlights for the emergency purposes that the user will fail to return the flashlight to its original place where the same is to be kept after the use, so that it can not be easily available at the time when any emergency case happens.

The present invention is to eliminate such undesirable failure or inconvenience which happens quite often in conventional flashlights and, thus, relates specifically to the flashlight device which comprises a combination of a flashlight body having a case containing dry cells constituting a source of electric current, a bulb and a resilient member inserted therein so as to form an electric closed circuit between the bulb and dry cells by biasing a cell or cells toward the cell located in the front side of the body so that the former will be pressed into contact with the latter, and a flashlight hanger member having a blocking member which acts as a means to hold the flashlight body and, at the same time, to break the connection between respective members forming the electric closed circuit between the bulb and cells while being brought into contact with each other by means of the resiliency of said resilient member, while the hanger member is holding the flashlight body.

A principal object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a flashlight which is automatically caused to be in ON state whenever the flashlight body is dismounted from the hanger member for the purpose of using, and is also inevitably caused to be in OFF state when the body is mounted or hung on the hanger member, so that any user of this flashlight will have to always return the body to the hanger in a fixed position where the hanger is secured to a wall or post surface in houses or the like when the flashlight is not to be used, i.e., at the time when the light is to be turned off, thereby the flashlight will be always stored at a fixed position and, thus, the above-mentioned inconvenience involved in any conventional flashlights will be eliminated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight device of the type as mentioned in the above, wherein insertion of the blocking member into the flashlight body has been made quite easy by providing a hollow cut or cutout for free engagement with the contacting projection of cell, at free end of the aforementioned blocking member to be inserted between each of two cells at their contacting part or between one of the cells and the bulb where they are contacting with each other.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight device which ensures that the flashlight body will be positively held by the flashlight hanger member, by providing a pair of projections respectively opposing to each other inside the said cutout of the blocking member so that the contacting projection of cell will not easily slip out of the cutout while the flashlight is being mounted on the hanger.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight device which further ensures effectively that the flashlight body will be more positively held by the hanger member with an additional provision of a holding member for the purpose of holding side surface of the flashlight body.

Yet further object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight device of the type referred to in the above, which also ensures that the flashlight body will be prevented from being damaged or becoming corroded due to leakage of rainwater through the aperture on the body case, for receiving the blocking member, by providing a cover ring, formed in cylindrical shape at the outer periphery of the case where said aperture is located.

A further and related object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight device that has a wider range of use than the flashlights of the kind referred to, by providing an adhesive layer at rear surface of the said hanger member and a protecting film applied on the layer, so that the device can be installed at any desired position such as, for example, any proper place inside an automobile or the like. Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become clear upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a vertically sectioned view of an embodiment of the flashlight device according to the present invention as installed on a wall surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flashlight body withthe blocking member base holding said body of the device shown in FIG. 1, as disassembled from the flashlight hanger member.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flashlight hanger of the device shown in FIG. 1, with the blocking member base as mounted on the hanger.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of another embodiment of the flashlight hanger to be used in the device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the flashlight hanger of FIG. 6A as taken along the line Vl-VI' in FIG. 6A, but here the hanger is shown with the flashlight body held thereby in the similar section.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the flashlight hanger.

FIG. 7B shows rear side surface of the hanger in FIG. 7A, in a plan view. 7 t

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of another embodiment of the flashlight body to be used in the device according to the present invention, which being provided with a cover ring.

FIG. 8B shows in a perspective view the cover ring as disassembled from the body, shown in FIG. 8A.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show further embodiments of the blocking member base to be used in the device according to the present invention, respectively, both in a perspective view.

The present invention shall now be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments as illustrated. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as set forth and illustrated, but the intention is rather to cover all of various alternations, modifications and equivalent arrangements to be included in the sprit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 to 4, 1 is a flashlight body, and 2 is a flashlight hanger having a blocking member base 3 to which said flashlight body 1 is to be mounted. The flashlight body 1 comprises a case 4 made of a metallic material in a tubular shape having openings at both ends thereof, a coil spring 5, a cap 6 to which said spring 5 is secured, a lens 7, a reflecting mirror 8, a ring 9 made of a synthetic resin on which said lens 7 and reflecting mirror 8-are mounted, a front base 10 fixed to the front opening end of the case 4, and dry cells ll. 12 is a miniature bulb screwed into a cylindrical portion at the center of said mirror 8, 13 is a socket member mounted on said cylindrical portion of the mirror 8 and provided with a conductive member 14 secured thereto for contact with the terminal of the bulb l2, and 15 is a conductive lead for conducting electricity to the case 4 and mirror 8. The dry cells 11 are respectively provided with a positive electrode terminal 16 projecting at the top of the cell and a negative electrode terminal 17 at the bottom surface thereof. In the particular embodiment shown here, two of such dry cells are connected in series with each other and the case 4 is provided with an aperture 21 at the position which corresponds to the interface between the negative electrode terminal 17 of the front cell and the positive electrode terminal 16 of the rear cell.

The flashlight hanger 2 comprises a base plate 18 made of a synthetic resin and the said blocking member base 3 usually mad eof a synthetic resin and adhered to the plate 18, and said hanger 2 is to be fixed to a post or wall face by means of screws 19. The blocking member base 3 is provided with a blocking member 22 and a holding member 23 which arcuately extends at both sides of said blocking member 22 so as to grip the sidewall of the tubular case 4 of the flashlight body 1. The blocking member 22 is provided at its free end with a cutout 24 of U-shape for receiving the positive electrode terminal 16. Further, it is preferable that the blocking member 22 taper gradually toward the free end.

Operation of the flashlight device according to the present invention shall now be referred to in the following.

When the blocking member 22 of the hanger 3 is inserted into the flashlight body 1 aperture through its aperture 21 provided at the sidewall of the case 4, the cutout 24 of the member 22 will be guided to the positive electrode terminal 16 of a dry cell, so that both forked ends of the member 22 will be inserted between the terminal 16 and the negative electrode terminal 17 of an adjacent cell, thereby the both terminals 16 and 17 are separated from each other and, thus, the flashlight is turned off. At the same time, the case 4 will be embraced by the holding member 23. Therefore, the flashlight body 1 will be stably mounted to the hanger 3 and thus prevented from being dropped from the blocking member 22 by any external shocks or the like. Further, when the flashlight body 1 is taken out of the blocking member 22, both terminals 16 and 17 are again brought into contact with each other by means of the resiliency of spring 5 and, thus, the flashlight is automatically turned on.

Since in the embodiment as set forth in the above, the lighting circuit for the miniature bulb is formed by arranging a plurality of cells respectively provided with a contacting projection at one end surface, in the series connection under a biasing pressure of a resilient member and, also, the flashlight device comprises the flashlight body having the aperture for the blacking member at a portion of its side surface corresponding to the contacting portion of said cells and the flashlight hanger having the blocking member of electrically insulative material to be inserted into said aperture and provided with the cutout at the free end of the member for free engagement with the contacting projection of one of said cells, and with the holding member having a pair of arcuately extending forks from both sides of said blocking member in order to grip side surface of the flashlight body, the device finds its specific utility in the use for emergency purpose with such a remarkable advantage that the installation of the flashlight body at a predetermined fixed position where the flashlight hanger is secured is always enforced to the users for the reason that, unless the body is mounted to the hanger, the flashlight will never be turned off and, thus, it is inevitable to return the body to the hanger when the flashlight is not to be used. Further, the mounting of the flashlight body to the hanger may be easily established since the cutout of the blocking member acts as a guide means of the member into engagement with the contacting projection of the cell. It is also established by means of the holding member that the flashlight body will be stably maintained in its mounted position to the hanger and, thus, any undesirable dismounting of the body due to any external shocks will be effectively prevented from occurring.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the connection between one of the dry cells 11 and the miniature bulb 12 can be interrupted by inserting the blocking member 22 between the positive electrode terminal 16 of a cell 11 and terminal of the bulb 12, so that the flashlight is turned off.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show another embodiment of the flashlight hanger, which is adapted to provide an antishock structure so as to be used with vehicles. In the drawing, 18 is a base plate, and 23 and 23' are holding members provided at two upper and lower portions of the plate 18. It will be noted that this provision is specifically efiective in preventing the flashlight body from being laterally rocked. 22 is a blocking member which is provided intermediately between the respective holding members 23 and 23. The blocking member 22 is further provided with projections 26 respectively opposing each other inside the cutout 24 and at the position adjacent to the free end of the member 22 so as to substantially close the opened side of cutout 24. As will be seen in FIG. 68 showing the state where the flashlight body is mounted to the hanger, the positive electrode terminal 16 is held in inner part of the cutout 24 so as to be locked by the projections 26. Thus, the flashlight body will not be easily moved away from the hanger, so that the body may be stably mounted to the hanger against sway or shock. When the flashlight body is dismounted from the hanger, the pulling-out action of the body away from the hanger will cause, if the same is effected forcibly, the cell 1 l to be pressed downward by the projections 26 against the biasing force of the spring 5, so that the positive electrode terminal 16 will move out of the inside portion of cutout 24.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 78 has been suggested to provide a hanger which is easily fixed to house walls or posts. In the drawings, 18 is a base plate, 27 is an adhesive layer and 28 is a protective film for the layer 27. The film 28 may be stripped off from the layer 27 at the time of installing the hanger to the wall or post surface, so that the hanger 2 will be readily adhered to the latter by means of the layer 27.

It will be understood that the flashlight device utilizing the hanger as described above will be also effectively used for the purpose of emergency use in automobiles, by installing the device at any appropriate position such, for example, as on a inside wall of the cabin.

Further in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 78, each forked end of the holding member 23 is formed so as to extend for a certain longer distance from the base plate 18 than the blocking member 22 and is bent outwardly at its free end. Thus, at the time when the blocking member 22 is inserted into the aperture 21 of the body case, the holding member 23 will act as a guide means'while being in contact with side surface of the case 4.'

In the other embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 88, it is intended to prevent any rainwater or the like from leaking into the aperture in the flashlight body case while the same is being used, by providing a covering means for the aperture. In the drawings, 29 is a cylindrical cover ring and 30 is a aperture provided at sidewall of said ring 29 and having substantially the same size as that of the aperture 21. The cover ring 29 is mounted on the periphery of the case 4 slidably in the peripheral direction between ring projections 31 as a guide means, so that the aperture 21 in thebody case 4 will be freely closed or opened by turning the ring 29 around.

While in any of the above-described embodiments the flashlight hanger has been provided with the blocking member and the holding member for embracingly holding the flashlight body so that the holding of the body by means of the hanger will be made stable, it is also possible to employ a hanger which is provided, for the purpose simplifying the structure, only with the blocking member 22 having the cutout 24 or a blocking member 22 having a sharpened tip 22' as shown in FIGS. 9A and 98, respectively, in which cases a holding member is omitted.

What I claim is:

1. A flashlight device comprising a flashlight body including a case, a lens, a miniature bulb, a reflecting mirror, cells for supplying an electric current to said bulb and a resilient member for forming an electric closed circuit between said bulb and said cells by biasing said cells into contact with said bulb, said case being provided with an aperture at a point on its side surface corresponding to a junction between two elements of the circuit, and a flashlight hanger member having a blocking member adapted to be inserted into the case through said aperture and to separate said two elements whereby said closed circuit is opened while said hanger member engages the flashlight body.

2. The flashlight device defined in claim 1 wherein said hanger member includes an electrically insulated blocking projection which projection is insertable into said aperture.

3. The flashlight defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture is disposed at a corresponding position along the case of the flashlight body corresponding to the contact point of one of said cells with said bulb, and said hanger member being provided with an electrically insulating blocking member insertable into said aperture.

4. The flashlight device defined in claim 2, wherein a plurality of individual cells are disposed in series connection with each other and wherein said aperture is located at a position on the flashlight casing corresponding to the contacting part of one cell with an adjacent cell.

5. The flashlight device according to claim 1, wherein said flashlight hanger member is provided with a holding member for embracingly gripping the flashlight body.

6. The flashlight device according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight hanger member is provided at its rear surface with an adhesive layer, said layer being covered with a protecting film.

7. The flashlight device according to claim 1 wherein said blocking member is provided at its free end with a cutout for free engagement with a contacting projection of the cell means.

8. The flashlight device according to claim 2 wherein said blocking member is provided at its free end with a cutout for free engagement with a contacting projection of the cell means.

9. The flashlight device according to claim 7 wherein said cutout is substantially closed at the portion adjacent to the tip of said blocking member.

10. The flashlight device according to claim 8 wherein said cutout is substantially closed at the portion adjacent to the tip of said blocking member.

11. The flashlight device according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight body is provided with a cylindrical cover ring having an aperture said ring being mounted slidably around said aperture hole of the flashlight body.

12. The flashlight device according to claim 2 wherein said flashlight body is provided with a cylindrical cover ring having an aperture said ring being mounted slidably around said aperture hole of the flashlight body.

(3/59) STATES IA'iENT OFFICE CERTIFECATE 0.? CORRECTION Patent: No. 3, 53 Dated October 97- Inventor fi SAKAKI AOKI It is certified that errar appears a.

n the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby c orrected as shown below:

Claim; 11 and ,12 line t oaneel "hole" Signed a nd sealed thislZlst da of March 1972.

(SEAL)' Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LETC'HER,JR.

. ROBERT GO'I'TSCHALK Attesting f i Commissionerof Patents 

1. A flashlight device comprising a flashlight body including a case, a lens, a miniature bulb, a reflecting mirror, cells for supplying an electric current to said bulb and a resilient member for forming an electric closed circuit between said bulb and said cells by biasing said cells into contact with said bulb, said case being provided with an aperture at a point on its side surface corresponding to a junction between two elements of the circuit, and a flashlight hanger member having a blocking member adapted to be inserted into the case through said aperture and to separate said two elements whereby said closed circuit is opened while said hanger member engages the flashlight body.
 2. The flashlight device defined in claim 1 wherein said hanger member includes an electrically insulated blocking projection which projection is insertable into said aperture.
 3. The flashlight defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture is disposed at a corresponding position along the case of the flashlight body corresponding to the contact point of one of said cells with said bulb, and said hanger member being provided with an electrically insulating blocking member insertable into said aperture.
 4. The flashlight device defined in claim 2, wherein a plurality of individual cells are disposed in series connection with each other and wherein said aperture is located at a position on the flashlight casing corresponding to the contacting part of one cell with an adjacent cell.
 5. The flashlight device according to claim 1, wherein said flashlight hanger member is provided with a holding member for embracingly gripping the flashlight body.
 6. The flashlight device according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight hanger member is provided at its rear surface with an adhesive layer, said layer being covered with a protecting film.
 7. The flashlight device according to claim 1 wherein said blocking member is provided at its free end with a cutout for free engagement with a contacting projection of the cell means.
 8. The flashlight device according to claim 2 wherein said blocking member is provided at its free end with a cutout for free engagement with a contacting projection of the cell means.
 9. The flashlight device according to claim 7 wherein said cutout is substantially closed at the portion adjacent to the tip of said blocking member.
 10. The flashlight device according to claim 8 wherein said cutout is substantially closed at the portion adjacent to the tip of said blocking member.
 11. The flashlight device according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight body is provided with a cylindrical cover ring having an aperture said ring being mounted slidably around said aperture hole of the flashlight body.
 12. The flashlight Device according to claim 2 wherein said flashlight body is provided with a cylindrical cover ring having an aperture said ring being mounted slidably around said aperture hole of the flashlight body. 